MANILA – Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV has volunteered himself as a possible standard bearer of the 1Sambayan coalition.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Trillanes made his name available in the selection process for the standard bearer of the newly-formed opposition coalition in the 2022 polls.
“I, together with the Magdalo group, have decided to convey to the 1Sambayan Coalition to change my status from being an alternate candidate (to Vice President Leni Robredo) to being a principal candidate for President to vie for the coalition’s nomination,” Trillanes said.
According to Trillanes, his declaration for presidency is not aimed at dividing the opposition as the 1Sambayan will only field one candidate for president and vice president.
A cellar-dweller in 2016 vice presidential polls, Trillanes also said Robredo seemed not interested in the presidency and was reportedly preparing to run for governor of Camarines Sur.
“Just to further stress this point, in the event that VP Leni definitively decides to run for President before 1Sambayan picks its nominees in July, I would wholeheartedly step aside and withdraw my candidacy in her favor,” Trillanes said.
1Sambayan, which is led by the country’s former high-ranking officials, is looking to endorse a candidate who has a clean track record, an upright stand on key issues, and platforms that address current problems.
Among the main convenors of 1Sambayan were former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, former ambassador Albert del Rosario, Bro. Armin Luistro, retired Admiral Rommel Ong, and former Commission on Audit head Heidi Mendoza.
Aside from Trillanes and Robredo, the opposition coalition is also eyeing Manila mayor Isko Moreno, senators Grace Poe and Nancy Binay as possible presidential bets.
Based on the latest Pulse Asia’s survey, Robredo is in sixth place among the potential presidential candidates, while Trillanes’ name was nowhere to be found in the survey.
Davao City’s Mayor Sara Duterte topped the survey followed by former senator and losing vice presidential bet Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr./PN
